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LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - More than a quarter of bigger
European companies aim to make a sizeable takeover next year, a
survey showed, as a drive for growth spurs executives to put a
"lost year" for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) behind them.

After plummeting to a six-year low last year, dealmaking in
Europe has failed to match a rebound in company profits and
financial strength, as a string of sovereign debt crises have
made markets volatile and dented corporate confidence.

However, the UBS and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey,
released on Tuesday, showed 29 percent of companies with a
market value of 5 billion euros ($6.5 billion) or more aimed to
buy a rival with at least 500 million euros in sales next year.

Many companies have already cut costs and paid down debt,
and are now grappling with how to generate growth against a
sluggish economic backdrop.

Dan Stillit of UBS said the survey showed "measured
optimism" among European executives, who were moving away from
de-leveraging. "Corporates seem to be back in growth-seeking
mode," he said in an interview.

More than half of respondents said growth through deals (28
percent) or organic investment (29 percent) was the most
effective use of cash, rather than debt repayments (21 percent)
or returning cash to shareholders (6 percent).

The survey, of 179 senior executives, was conducted in
September and October -- before deepening concerns about
Ireland's finances forced it into an 85 billion euro bailout.

However, Stillit said European companies were also becoming
hardened to sovereign credit worries: "Europe is taking the
Irish bailout in its stride much better than it would have done
a year ago." But he added: "If market volatility continues
stepping up, that's the number one risk to M&A."

The survey found about 40 percent had cancelled M&A plans
this year. "2010 was a 'lost year'," UBS said.

Thomson Reuters data shows announced M&A targeting Europe
has hit $534 billion in 2010, just 2 percent ahead of the first
11 months of 2009.

A third of respondents also said they were likely to pursue
"deal-based restructuring" next year, by selling or floating
units or injecting assets into joint ventures.

But almost two-fifths complained that the high price of
potential targets was the top barrier to deals, and while
two-thirds wanted to push into emerging markets, only 18 percent
aimed to do so via acquisitions.